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Understanding the Factors Influencing Patient E-Health Literacy in Online Health Communities (OHCs): A Social Cognitive Theory Perspective

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  • Junjie Zhou

    (Department of Business Administration, Business School, Shantou University, No.243 Daxue Road, Shantou 515063, Guangdong, China)

  • Tingting Fan

    (Department of Business Administration, Business School, Shantou University, No.243 Daxue Road, Shantou 515063, Guangdong, China)

Abstract

Although online health communities (OHCs) are increasingly popular in public health promotion, few studies have explored the factors influencing patient e-health literacy in OHCs. This paper aims to address the above gap. Based on social cognitive theory, we identified one behavioral factor (i.e., health knowledge seeking) and one social environmental factor (i.e., social interaction ties) and proposed that both health knowledge seeking and social interaction ties directly influence patient e-health literacy; in addition, social interaction ties positively moderate the effect of health knowledge seeking on patient e-health literacy. We collected 333 valid data points and verified our three hypotheses. The empirical results provide two crucial findings. First, both health knowledge seeking and social interaction ties positively influence patient e-health literacy in OHCs. Second, social interaction ties positively moderate the effect of health knowledge seeking on patient e-health literacy. These findings firstly contribute to public health literature by exploring the mechanism of how different factors influence patient e-health literacy in OHCs and further contribute to e-health literacy literature by verifying the impact of social environmental factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Junjie Zhou & Tingting Fan, 2019. "Understanding the Factors Influencing Patient E-Health Literacy in Online Health Communities (OHCs): A Social Cognitive Theory Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-12, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:14:p:2455-:d:247266
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Qiuju Yin & Haoyue Fan & Yijie Wang & Chenxi Guo & Xingzhi Cui, 2022. "Exploring the Peer Effect of Physicians’ and Patients’ Participation Behavior: Evidence from Online Health Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-16, February.

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